Concord
Population 44,597 (2025)
18 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Concord since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1869 (Category 1).
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195023
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger29
- Major flood years since 1978, Merrimack County2
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Merrimack County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Merrimack County.
Strongest tornado
F3
May 20, 1963, 14.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1869, 37.9 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 3.3 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 20, 1963
F3, 14.0 mile path
100 yards wide.
Deadliest
July 24, 2008
1 killed, EF2
2 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, May 4, 2018
EF1, 37.5 mile path
8 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 4, 2018 | EF1 | 37.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 2015 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 24, 2008 | EF2 | 50.5 | 2 | 1 |
| Aug 13, 2004 | F0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 1999 | F2 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 3, 1997 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 22, 1981 | F2 | 8.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 19, 1978 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 3, 1972 | F2 | 1.0 | 7 | 0 |
| May 31, 1972 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1972 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 20, 1968 | F1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1968 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1967 | F1 | 0.5 | 5 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 1963 | F2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1963 | F1 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1963 | F3 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1963 | F1 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 21, 1961 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1961 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1960 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1956 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
18 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 2 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 9, 1869
Unnamed storm, Category 1
37.9 miles at closest approach, winds near 92 mph.
Most recent
July 9, 2021
Elsa, Post-tropical
80.6 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Elsa | 2021 | 80.6 | Post-tropical |
| Isaias | 2020 | 93.5 | Post-tropical |
| Andrea | 2013 | 82.3 | Post-tropical |
| Irene | 2011 | 51.8 | Tropical storm |
| Hanna | 2008 | 73.5 | Post-tropical |
| Barry | 2007 | 59.0 | Post-tropical |
| Floyd | 1999 | 32.7 | Tropical storm |
| Bertha | 1996 | 45.2 | Tropical storm |
| Bob | 1991 | 69.2 | Category 1 |
| Gloria | 1985 | 17.9 | Category 1 |
| David | 1979 | 63.1 | Post-tropical |
| Belle | 1976 | 60.9 | Tropical storm |
| Doria | 1971 | 29.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1968 | 49.2 | Tropical storm |
| Esther | 1961 | 80.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1961 | 27.5 | Tropical storm |
| Donna | 1960 | 35.0 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 16.4 | Tropical storm |
| Carol | 1954 | 12.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 61.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 77.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1938 | 78.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 4.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 88.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1923 | 15.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 60.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 32.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1908 | 40.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 93.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 62.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 32.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1897 | 39.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 55.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 23.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 21.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 55.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 70.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 79.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 24.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 21.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1872 | 97.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1869 | 70.0 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1869 | 37.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1866 | 90.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1861 | 44.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1861 | 37.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1858 | 32.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 85.2 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 52 days
Heavy smoke on 8 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.3 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
16 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 15 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
299 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $6.3 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Merrimack County, the county that contains Concord.
Most claims in one year
2006: 89 claims
$2.4 million paid.
2nd most
2007: 75 claims
$2.4 million paid.
3rd most
1987: 19 claims
$53,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 03275 | 137 | $3.1 million |
| 03106 | 23 | $1.2 million |
| 03221 | 22 | $293,000 |
| 03234 | 22 | $508,000 |
| 03301 | 16 | $97,000 |
| 03303 | 15 | $103,000 |
| 03235 | 9 | $102,000 |
| 03304 | 8 | $207,000 |
| 03263 | 7 | $115,000 |
| 03229 | 6 | $27,000 |
| 03278 | 5 | $75,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood81
- Flash Flood30
- Heavy Rain2
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Merrimack County, the county that contains Concord.
Most severe crest
March 19, 1936
Merrimack River at Franklin Jct., 36.40 ft
20.40 feet above the 16.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
December 19, 2023
Suncook River at North Chichester, 12.11 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Contoocook River at Henniker | 12.0 | 21.30 ft | 1 |
| Contoocook River at River Hill | 18.0 | 14.80 ft | 0 |
| Merrimack River at Concord | 14.0 | 26.20 ft | 3 |
| Merrimack River at Franklin Jct. | 16.0 | 36.40 ft | 3 |
| Smith River (NH) at Bristol | 8.0 | 16.09 ft | 1 |
| Suncook River at North Chichester | 7.0 | 15.97 ft | 0 |
| Warner River at Davisville | 8.0 | 12.80 ft | 2 |
| Winnipesaukee River at Tilton | 7.0 | 8.68 ft | 2 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 86 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 27 months.
The drought index is for Merrimack County, the county that contains Concord.
86
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
18
Months in extreme drought
5%
Share of all months, severe or worse
21
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1965
−5.05, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
27 months
June 1964 to August 1966.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.80, mild drought
Last severe month: April 2026.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes and landslides
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.6 in 1940.
9
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
4
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
2
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
December 24, 1940
5 km NNW of Tamworth, New Hampshire; 48.7 miles away, 5.0 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 25, 2010
Magnitude 3.1
2 km SW of Canterbury, New Hampshire; 6.4 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Jan 18, 1982 | 4.5 | 18.6 |
| Dec 24, 1940 | 5.6 | 48.7 |
| Dec 20, 1940 | 5.3 | 45.2 |
| Oct 9, 1925 | 4.0 | 39.7 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
Landslides mapped in Merrimack County.
1
Landslides mapped, probable or better
1
With a recorded date
1
Source inventory
Mapped by NASA (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
776 events in the National Weather Service record for Merrimack County, 727 of them since 1996.
64
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
200
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
188
Winter weather events since 1996
3
Heat events since 1996
22
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
July 9, 2007
2.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 15, 2020
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 20 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jan 7, 1998Ice Storm, Merrimack$3.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
A severe ICE STORM hit sections of New Hampshire from January 7 through January 9. The hardest hit areas in northern and central New Hampshire were generally between about 1000 and 2000 ft above sea level. While many cities and towns at lower elevations received only rain, towns at higher elevations, such as New London, where the temperatures were slightly cooler had freezing rain. Ice accreted several inches thick on trees, power lines, and other exposed surfaces causing many people in those areas to lose electrical service. Statewide, the storm knocked out power to about 55,000 customers, an estimated 125,000 people. During the time without power, residents and those involved…
- Jul 9, 1997Lightning$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning ignited a massive 21 alarm fire between 4:00 and 4:30 pm that gutted a lumber mill in Bradford. More than 200 firefighters and 50 fire trucks battled the blazed that completely destroyed the lumber yard.
- Oct 20, 1996Flash Flood$2.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
A coastal storm which was fed tropical moisture by the circulation around Hurricane Lily produced between 7 and 9 inches of precipitation throughout the County during a 30-hour period. Many homes and businesses were flooded. Roads and bridges were washed out.
- Feb 25, 2010Flood$1.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain caused county wide flooding of small rivers and streams in Merrimack County New Hampshire.
- Dec 11, 2008Ice Storm, Merrimack$1.6 million
National Weather Service narrative
A major winter storm brought a mixture of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to New Hampshire from the morning of December 11th to the morning of December 12th. The greatest impact in the state was in southern and central New Hampshire where a significant ice storm occurred. Following the ice storm, recovery and restoration efforts were negatively impacted by additional winter weather events that passed through the state. ||The ice storm was caused by an area of low pressure that moved northeastward along a stalled frontal boundary off the East Coast. Near ground level, cold air from eastern Canada funneled southward into the region on northerly winds. Southerly winds at higher levels…
- Apr 16, 2007Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Overview: An area of low pressure intensified rapidly as it moved slowly from the southeastern United States on the morning of Sunday, April 15th to near New York City by the morning of Monday, April 16th. The intense low over New York City in combination with high pressure over eastern Canada produced a very intense pressure gradient across the area which caused strong east to northeast winds to develop across the region. Over land, the strong winds downed numerous trees. The downed trees caused widespread power outages, especially near the coast, and numerous road closures. Over the marine areas, the strong winds caused a storm surge and large ocean waves of up to 30 feet to…
- Oct 8, 2005Flood, Merrimack$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The interaction between a cold frontal boundary and the remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy resulted in tremendous amount of rainfall throughout most of central and southern New Hampshire. Rainfall ranged from just under 2 inches in far northern New Hampshire to 9 inches at Gilford in Belknap County. An unofficial report was received of 12.75 inches near Gunstock Ski area. There was a tremendous amount of damage to roads and bridges, and to the infrastructure in general due to flooding of small rivers and streams. Homes and businesses were damaged. Tragically, two young people lost their lives in the town of Unity in Sullivan County when they attempted to drive over a bridge that had…
- Aug 28, 2011Flood$900,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Irene caused flooding on small rivers and streams throughout Merrimack County.
- May 13, 2006Flood$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
Low pressure developed south of New England and remained nearly stationary from the 12th to the 15th resulting in over 12 inches of rain in some locations in a 72 hour period. Homes and businesses were damaged extensively. Many roads were washed out and impassable. Some bridges were damaged or destroyed. Several evacuations and rescues took place during the flood event. Two dams on the Salmon Falls River were being monitored as it was feared they may fail.
- Mar 14, 2010Flood$440,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain caused widespread flooding of small rivers and streams throughout Merrimack County.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Concord Asos, 3.5 miles from the city centre, with records from 1939.
- All-time high
- 102°FJul 3, 1966
- All-time low
- −37°FFeb 16, 1943
- Warmest night
- 75°F4 times, most recently Jul 11, 2024
- Coldest day
- −4°FFeb 15, 1943
- Wettest day
- 5.12 inMay 13, 2006
- Snowiest day
- 25.6 inDec 17, 2020
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 49.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1976mean 43.2°F
- Wettest year
- 200857.97 in
- Driest year
- 196524.17 in
- Snowiest season
- 118.0 in2007-08
Median first snow
November 20
Earliest: October 10, 1979
Median last snow
April 7
Latest: May 11, 1945
0 of 84 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Concord Asos (USW00014745), 338 ft elevation, 3.5 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1939 to October 27, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
29 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 3, 2020.
Declarations for Merrimack County.
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516-NH |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445-NH |
| Jan 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4355-NH |
| Mar 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4105-NH |
| Oct 30, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3360-NH |
| Nov 1, 2011 | Severe Storm | EM-3344-NH |
| Sep 3, 2011 | Hurricane | DR-4026-NH |
| Aug 27, 2011 | Hurricane | EM-3333-NH |
| Mar 29, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1892-NH |
| Jan 2, 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1812-NH |
| Dec 13, 2008 | Severe Storm | EM-3297-NH |
| Oct 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1799-NH |
| Aug 11, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1782-NH |
| Apr 27, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1695-NH |
| May 25, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1643-NH |
| Oct 26, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1610-NH |
| Sep 19, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3258-NH |
| Mar 30, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3207-NH |
| Jan 15, 2004 | Snowstorm | EM-3193-NH |
| Mar 11, 2003 | Snowstorm | EM-3177-NH |
| Mar 28, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3166-NH |
| Jul 2, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1231-NH |
| Jan 15, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1199-NH |
| Oct 29, 1996 | Flood | DR-1144-NH |
| Jan 3, 1996 | Flood | DR-1077-NH |
| Mar 16, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3101-NH |
| Aug 29, 1990 | Flood | DR-876-NH |
| Apr 16, 1987 | Flood | DR-789-NH |
| Jul 11, 1973 | Flood | DR-399-NH |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014745.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.